Is lansinoh really safe?

[sewsleepy]

I have been reading some posts here about using lansinoh on the nostrils and it sounds like it could be really helpful, but is it really safe to put in/around the nose? My doctor cautioned me against using vaseline in the nose, if you breathe it in you can get lipid pneumonia. So I have been cautious about using anything that's not water based. Sometimes it's so hard to get a good seal but not sure that lanolin would be a good thing to end up in the lungs either?

[Pugsy]

Lanolin (Lansinoh) is totally safe. Nursing mom's use it and if it were harmful those babies nursing on mom's nipples would be in trouble. I bet they are exposed to a lot more of it than you will using just a little on your nasal pillows once a night.

The Vasoline warning is because of the petroleum base in the product. Lansinoh has no such petroleum base.
I have heard of what your doctor warned you about. Not very common and not talked about as much now as it was years ago.
It's not just Vasoline...pretty much anything with a petroleum base if my memory serves me.
It's been a long time since I read up on it.

[chunkyfrog]

Another thing; no sheep are harmed in the production of lanolin--it is removed from the wool after shearing.
Sheep benefit from the removal of excess wool right before the hot season.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Hundreds of people on this forum, if not thousands, have used it and seem to like it. Some have used it for a decade or more and I can't recall a single complaint. Often CPAPers can't use their mask or nasal interfaces without it - I think it's great for snuffing out mask leaks if you don't use too much; simply apply a very light film of Lansinoh. I use it from time to time, mostly finding it very helpful, plus I love that it has no smell whatsoever.

[chunkyfrog]

Save a little for those elbows, knees, and heels.
It's the concentrated good stuff they don't put enough of in the gunk that barely works.

[sewsleepy]

Thanks, guys, that's very good to know.
It wasn't the petroleum base that was an issue, according to my doctor, but the fact that it is an oil. You don't want oil in your lungs. I am aware lanolin is safe for nursing babies, used it myself for that purpose way back when It's great for hangnails and extra dry skin, too. I just hadn't ever thought about getting it around my nose.

[heiff]

I think the other thing that makes Lanisoh safe (vs something like Vicks or Vaseline with a petrolatum base) is that the viscosity is much, much higher. Body heat is not going to lower the viscosity enough that you'd be in danger of aspirating it when used normally (i.e. anything short of stuffing your nostrils full of the stuff). If you look here: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S16 ... ci_arttext there is a study on the use of HPA lanolin as treatment for chapped/dry lips in chemotherapy patients. That's not exactly what we're using it for, but the part that's of interest is the following passage: "The elimination of the impurities and allergenic components of the HPA Lanolin® enhances its safety for this use over other products with similar properties1,15 such as Vaseline® (petroleum jelly) and mineral oil. While these other products do form a film that helps to alleviate the dryness, they should be avoided because they are associated with the aspiration of particles of lipids and pneumonia."

[avi123]

Lanolin comes from animal (i.e. sheep wool) hair. Its purpose is to shed water off the hair. Only a certain extract in the processing is safe to be used on human skin. Make sure that you buy the one which is used by nursing mothers. Another Lanolin product is chemically active and is used to remove human hair. It must be washed away from the skin within a short time. Don't use this kind.

[dinycat]

Where do you put this Lansinoh? On the mask, or in the nose?

dinycat

[BlackSpinner]

Where do you put this Lansinoh? On the mask, or in the nose?

dinycat

Well technically on your nipples but we put it where the pillows touch the nostrils or any other area that needs a slight greasing.

[SleepyToo2]

Also, you only need a very small amount. I find that putting it on the pillows before putting the mask on gives me much better control.